Nanny: Destiny's house
by nilescclover
Summary: CC's brother and sister want her to go to her grandmother's old house for the halloween weekend. the house is known to be haunted but CC doesn't believe. will she when she and niles get stuck in the house?
1. Chapter 1

The Nanny is a copyright of Sony Pictures, High School Sweethearts, Sternin & Fraser's Ink, Inc. No infringement on the rights of anyone involved in its production is intended.

These characters don't belong to me. I just borrowed them for a while.

Authers notes: This story was a dream I had about the two of them getting stuck in house together. I lost this story and recently found it. I had to put it up.

Destiny's house

March 6-14th 2007

Silence, it was unusual for this time of day. No Max yelling at his butler to do something, no Max yelling at his nanny for getting into trouble, nothing but silence. It was a nice fall day at the Sheffield's. Everyone was outside well, almost everyone. Max and CC were on the terrace going over new paper work for the up coming show. Ms Fine took the kids to the park. Niles was the only one that was inside the house doing well, what ever he actually did.

"CC this looks great! I was hoping for something like this to come up." Max commented as he looked up at here from his chair at the table. "We needed it for the start of the fall."

He noticed a leave fall from the tree at the end of the terrace. "Just in time for the Halloween weekend."

She smiled, "I thought it was good. I wanted to grab it quick."

"Well, let's go for it." Max ordered as he went back inside to his office.

"I'll make some calls." CC sat outside in the sun making her calls. Wind slightly blew her hair around. During her calls, CC's sister called her.

"DD," CC said sounding shocked to hear from her.

"We want your help in throwing a party at Grandma's mansion."

"Why do you need my help?"

"It's…" Noel picked up.

"We want you to come."

"Noel?"

"Yes, I'll be there too." She hasn't seen DD or Noel in years. "We would love to see you."

"I would like to see you as for the house…. you know how I feel about it."

"Great so you'll come then. It's only for a few days sis. Please." DD begged her sister.

"Let me think about it and I have to clear it with my business partner."

"Well, call me back." DD hung up the phone.

"Did she take the bait?" Noel asked.

"I don't know. I think so, only if her business partner will let her go for a few days. It seems they can't do anything without asking the other one. It's like thy are married or something."

"Was that your sister on the phone?" Max asked looking up from his desk.

"Yes," she swallowed. She hated to ask Max for time off. Usually he let her but with a new play in the works she wasn't sure he would this time. "DD, would like me to come up to my grandmother's old mansion for a few days."

"The one in the pictures I've seen?"

"Yes. Castle, "Starlight" is right outside of Jersey."

"Sand castle?" Niles commented as he entered the room. He was listening by the intercom in the kitchen.

"No!" CC glared over at him. Then back to Max. "It's made out of black stone faced and trimmed with white marble. Anyway…." She stared back at Niles. "They want me to go to some party they are throwing up there. It's for a few days." She faces Max to try to read him. "It's the only time that they will be in town short of speak."

Max hesitated. _This is Halloween weekend_. He thought to himself. _Going to a house like that would be fun. The kids would enjoy it. Oh the kids. She's not going to let them come._

"I'll let you go,"

"You will," CC sounded real shocked at his decision.

"With one exception." _Oh no. _CC thought,_ what could that be._

"Name it." She said before she could stop herself.

"If we can all come with you up there." She stared at Max.

"What? Maxwell, are you crazy?"

"Deal or no deal, that is the questioned?" Niles commented.

"Mr. Sheffield, Mr. Sheffield." Fran called as she and the kids came in the office.

"Greg just asked Maggie to a Halloween party in the Hamptons." B interjected.

"Absolutely not."

"But why…" Maggie whined, which Max always hated.

"Cause I said so," he stated firmly.

"I told you he'd say no." Fran came up to an irritated Maggie, and whisper that she would see what she could do. Max knew that when she whispered something to the kids that meant that she was going to talk to him. That she was going to try to trick him into saying yes, well not this time. Max was not going to ruin it this time.

"No, Ms. Fine the answer is no."

"But…." Fran whined in her nasal voice.

"We have plans." Maxwell winked at CC. She sighed.

"Deal,"

"Great!" he faced his kids. "Kids thanks to Ms. Babcock here," he pointed in her direction, which was sitting on the love sit. "We are going to a haunted house party."

"As for the house being haunted I…" she shook her head. "I don't believe that. And I don't believe in ghost either." CC scooted past Fran and left the office. _What have I done? Three days with all the brats. Why didn't I just keep my mouth shut_?


	2. Chapter 2

"A real haunted house," B rubbed his hands together. "This should be good."

CC mumbled something.

"Don't tell me you believe in ghost. What a dork." Maggie rolled her eyes.

"It's not…" CC started.

"There are no such things as ghost." Gracie finished CC's thought. _At least on of his kids is smart. All that therapy I guess. There is no way that this house is haunted with a ghost, spooky maybe but ghost, no. _

"Turn left on Boogie Street."

"Boogie Street." Max laughed at that.

"How appropriate do you think?" Niles added.

"Niles." He noticed Fran and Max glaring at him when he looked in the mirror.

"What?" he faced CC who was voted to seat in the front with Niles. "So, he can laugh at this but I can't make a comment."

"No," she smiled at him. _What was that for? It's like she… _he shrugged.

"Why?"

"Not that. I was saying," she faced Max and the kids. "The house is not on that street it's…" _how ironic_ CC thought "It's…." She thought of the stories her dad told her about the place and then she thought of Freddy movies. "It's…. on Elm Street."

"Like in the movies," B stated.

"No it's Elm Street."

"Wha?" Fran questioned, "How can it be Elm Street?"

"All the land belongs to the house. The street, god knows why, is the driveway." _A very long driveway at that she thought. _

"Look there it is," shouted B. The limo drove down the tree lined dirt road. A fence lined at the bottom with bricks had brick post and iron cast in between the post. The fence lined the whole street on both sides.

"Now that's a fence." B commented opening the window of the limo.

"Look it's on both sides of the street." Gracie said as she hanged her head out the other window. CC took a deep breath. Flash backs of her father came to mind. She swallowed something eerie came over her. She began to shake some, Niles noticed. He'd seen her so many ways excited, amused, furious a lot and now he could add scared to that list. There was something that was really freaking here out about this place. Was it really haunted? He didn't want to ask her about it cause the last time he did she tried to kill herself.

He didn't want to get hurt again. He looked down at the scars in his hands. He didn't want her to try that again and this time they had a car full of people.

"If I remember correctly there's a gate at the end."

"Where ever the end is." Niles complained. Sure enough they came to iron gate with a big letter "B" in the middle of it. Niles and Max got out of the limo.

"Padlocked? Why would you padlock?" Max asked pulling at the chains.

"You would be surprised at how many kids would investigate this kind of thing."

"Talking from experience, Niles old man." He smiled back at Max. _I would have giving anything to have known about this place when I was a kid. Look at it. It really looks spooky._ The chain with the padlock fell off with out any trouble. It disintegrated in Max's hand.

"Wow! No one has been here in for a long time."

"Well, look at it sir," Niles said pointing. "Would you?" They gently pushed the sides of the gate opened. It squeaked but opened up. When they arrived back at the limo, CC was on the phone.

"We will…. bye." CC shook her head placing the phone back in her pocket.

"We got it opened without to much trouble." Max responded.

"Great, now let the fun begin." B yelled from the back of the limo.

"My sister and brother are running a little late. She will give us a tour of the place when they both get here." The drive to the house was as almost as long as the drive to the gate.

"There it is, there it is." B shouted.

The house was like a castle. It had two enormous post made out of black stone shaped like lighthouses on each end with gold top roofs. Little windows over looked the whole place where embedded. One even looked like it had a light on. Between the posts were white columns with a top balcony that went all the way around. Hundreds of windows it seemed lined the porch. While five stone steps extended the length of the house leading up to the front door. The big front door was almost fifteen feet tall. It was deep burgundy and right in the middle of it was a big "B".

"Wow! Look at that…. That's just the outside of the place. What does it look like on the inside? " Fran could hardly wait.

A suitcase under either arm, and clutching an additional pair in his hands Niles nonetheless contrived to bow without lose of his dignity.

"This way." He joked using a deep scary voice. But he showed no surprise or sign of emotion. Nodded his face grim there was no trace of a grin now, no sign of doubt in his eyes. His smile just a quick flash of perfect teeth, his eyes catching light that has no source but himself. CC felt like something was watching them.

"You're really scared about this place aren't you?"

"Oh course not." She lied but she was as a little girl her father took her and her brother up here on Halloween just like tonight and spooky things happened. She couldn't tell if they were real or not but they sure did freak her out. This time there would not be anything to frighten her. She had nothing to worry about. Her grandmother had always encouraged her to feel her emotions fully, never denying them. But when her grandmother stop seeing her she shut down. Unknown to CC it was her mother that told her grandmother to stay away.

"I need new friends," CC didn't know that she made the comment out loud or why she even said it.

"Do they have to be living?" Niles' added. The comment hit the spot. He always knew what to say and when to say it. Her heart tugged a little. _How does he know what I need?_

One of his jokes a nice spoonful of encouragement for her. Niles put the suitcases down.

"Uh… you first." CC looked over at Fran. They seemed to have the same thought. They both looked at the guys.

"Do the guy thing." Fran said as she walked up.

"What?" Max and Niles said.

"Carry you across the threshold?" they said together and laughed. The thought did strange things to the ladies hearts making them miss a beat at that.

For Fran anything Max said to her felt like that was sexy she felt it all the time. She was so in love with him. CC on the other hand it was something new for her. Her heart was now coming back doubly strong, hammering against her chest. Fran smiled.

"I don't think that the ghost bride there," she pointed. "Would like that to much."


	3. Chapter 3

CC back up and almost into Niles.

"Whoa slow, slow." She turned to face him. She wondered if the strange vibrations around the house were drawing her closer to him. Max blindsided Fran, grabbing her around the waist making her squeal. CC jumped again.

"Stop it. You're scaring CC." Fran protested, but not before see registered the feel of Max's body against hers the brush of a hip against her buttock. Niles put his arms around the frightened CC. That's when she decided she didn't need to worry about anything she had someone there to watch out for her even though he was the last person she thought would.

"My brother and sister should be here soon." Max and Niles did do the gentleman like thing and carry them across the threshold. The kids just shook their heads.

"I want my future husband to be like that." Maggie stated.

"No you don't." Gracie replied. "Not even close."

"This is going to be a weird couple of days." B said shaking his head as they enter the house after the four of them.

A grand foyer met them as they stepped in the door. Black marble floors, with a white marble circular staircase, which accented to the upper floors was one side of them.

"You only see that kind of staircase in fairytales." Niles commented. "It's beautiful." "Then you will like the rest of the house." Max, Fran and the kids just stare in awe.

On the other side was a baby grand piano. CC walked up to it.

"It was suppose to be black," CC said as she scraped her hand across the gray piano, her fingers leaving, trails in the massive thick dust. She wiped them on her pants.

The sun was starting to shine off the marble making it look like someone had waxed it recently. But no one had. No one had been in the house for years. "This way to the den area.

DD says that there's a firebox full of wood in the garage and all the fireplaces work…"

"Good cause it's chilly in here." Niles commented.

"A fire sounds good." Max called. Fran smiled at the idea of lying in front of one with Max sounded ever better to her.

CC feels a cold wind from inside the house. _It's just a fan set up somewhere_ she said to herself. She was sure of it until Max told her that they had no power.

"What?" CC questioned as she went towards them.

"The electrical box in the closet doesn't seem to work either." Niles added.

"Don't tell me that," she breathed in. "I guess we'll have to go to the garage and get some firewood. She started towards the door sighing.

"Niles, B, and I will get that." Max offered seeing her little gestures. "You guys stay in the house."

"It's to the left when you get in there."

"Why don't we take a tour first?" Fran suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me." B added. CC knew he just wanted to get out of doing work.

"Sure."

Two knights stood, dressed in full armor at one end of a hallway guarding a door. The armor was gleaming dully off the full life size knights. _What lied behind that door? Was that where the ghost were? Get a hold of yourself CC, there are no such things as ghosts._ The floor behind her creaked some. She jumped and spun around. She gasped when realized the movement she had seen was her own reflection in a full-length mirror.

"Did your reflection scare you? I've been trying to tell you how ugly you were for years." Niles stated. She snorted as she turned to glare at Niles who was walking towards her.

"No…" she yelled and stomped out of the room.

"What is with the two of you on this trip be nice or…." When lightning flashed once more, they all jumped. Fran got a glimpse of the big back yard. It was filled with trees with branches crooked ever which way. In the darkness the branches looked like long scary fingers ready to grab the next then that walked by.

"Ah…." CC screamed.

"That was CC." Max said.

"Well, duh who else would it be?" Niles replied as everyone ran from the room to the hallway.

"Sorry to scare you sis." Noel finally said to break the awkwardness.

"What happened out here?" Max asked.

"Hey, you must be CC's friends." DD held out her hand.

"Maxwell Sheffield, CC business partner." He shook her hand. "And this is Fran Fine, my nanny," they shake hands. "My kids," H pointed to them. "Maggie, Brighton, Gracie." They just nodded at her. "And Niles the butler." He bowed.

"DD, CC's sister and Noel my brother."

They all went exploring the grounds, in one of the dens there stood two bears on either side of the fireplace. One had its claws out in a standing position while the other was just on all fours. There was a bearskin rug also in front of the newly lit fireplace. Noel explained that they, the bears that was, were killed and brought in here by their father.

"He shot them himself. I never really like them that much. Now the rug is a different story."

"I heard to much about you and that rug Noel, I don't think that CC and her friends what to hear those stories."

Noel continued on, "The fireplaces in this house where made from stones that came from the Smokey Mountains when they were carving the roads through the mountains. It took ten truckloads to get them up here. Over five tons on bricks."

"That's a lot of stones." B commented as he went up to touch one.

"It sure is. But why?" Gracie wanted to know.

"They were getting rid of them so we…our grandparents thought they could use them and they were free so why not. Back then they recycled things."

DD moved towards the dinning room and everyone followed. It had four chandleries that hung from the ceiling, over the longest table in the world it seemed like. Actually it was about ten tables pushed together but no one knew that. DD was going on explaining that this dinning room held about sixty to sixty five people at one time. She remembers sitting at one of those occasions herself. That was many years ago though. She explained that the three kitchens always had something cooking in them. After the divorce of her parents DD against her mother's wishes or knowledge went to stay with her grandparents in this house. CC was sent off to boarding school by then.

"The floors are the original wood as much as the stone fireplaces." Noel told the group. "Some of the stairs and hallways don't go any where at all. They just end up against a blank wall." Staying all together their footsteps echoed sharply yet as quickly muted when they reached the living room area. Most of the rooms were carpeted with a thick textures carpet and deeply padded rugs in the hallways. Footsteps were absorbed without a whisper. As though feeling a strain, which he disliked to admit, Noel paused to salute one of the knights with a bow and flourish. "Good day to you old ironsides." He observed, "And you really don't have to stand attention not on our account. Relax and enjoy the scenery, or does it pull on one after a few hundred years?" he laughed.

"Noel you're just as bad as Niles sometimes." CC shook her head at him. Noel just bowed again.

"Thanks-you, thank-you, thank-you very much." They all enter the room. It was only an illusion, of course, a trick of the imagination in the somber surroundings. It could be nothing else. But for an instant, just as Noel stepped between the two armored men, the eyes appeared to blink behind the half opened visor. It was as though the armored men were surprised that someone addressed them. _Na couldn't be._ Noel said to himself.


	4. Chapter 4

"Pss…. CC." Her brother called as everyone was settling down in the den area after dinner. CC looked up.

"What do you want with me?" He motioned her to follow him.

"Oh, all right." She sighed as she got up. "This better be good." Niles' eyes followed her till she left the room. CC found her sister waiting in the foyer next to the grand piano.

"What's this all about?"

"Come we want to show you something." Her sister told her. _What can that be?_ CC thought. Noel and DD took her down the hall to talk to her about why they really wanted her to come here. Some of if had to do with the selling of the house and some of it had to do with the stories behind the house its self.

"We knew you wouldn't come if we told you just straight out about why we wanted to sell the place." Noel stated.

"You damn right I wouldn't have!" CC yelled at them.

DD sighed; she reached in her pocket and pulled out a newspaper article. The paper was yellow so CC knew she didn't just print it.

"I found this article." She handed CC the paper and watched her reaction to it. Before continuing talking. "I started doing research. I came up here a lot in the past year. That's when I started to see…." DD swallowed and her brother finished her sentence for her. "The ghost, the ghost of grandma sis. We didn't believe it either." She stared at them and shook her head. _This might all be a ploy to sell this house real cheap to them and then they get to make the profit on its return. I know they are up to something like that._

"You know I'm not a big fan of this so called ghost stuff but…."

"You both believe that this is for real?" When DD saw that CC wasn't listening to them she cleared here throat and repeated her question. "Why would we make it up?"

"So I would sell it to you."

"That's not why." her brother reacted. "We wanted you to come and help us see it for ourselves. If the stories are true we should have some proof…"

"And CC this is where it would be found." DD added.

"So you want me to go ghost busting in this house this weekend." Both of them nodded at her. "I don't know what I can do."

"Grandma says you do." DD said after a few moments of thought.

"She says that you are the only one that can break the chain."

"Curse." Noel reacted.

"Curse then." She shot a look over at him then back to CC.

"The curse of none of us being in good relationships." He added.

"Anyway…" DD glared at him again this time he said nothing.

"Wait grandma died years ago." CC felt tears coming on. CC thought for second then replied. "She died when I was twelve years old."

"Her ghost…" Noel started.

"Ghost?" There was fear now creeping into CC voice. "Ghost of grandma? There are no…" she was cut off by DD.

"As I was saying this curse affects all of us. It's why we can't stay in love. Sure I've had plenty of guy friends but when I got close I ran."

"Sounds familiar." Noel commented. CC rolled her eyes. She did the same thing as her sister. CC thought her sister and brother where going crazy. _There are no such things as ghost. Are there? And there are no such things as curses either._ "I don't…"

"CC…" DD pleaded.

"Before you turn us away just read the article. Please." Noel asked his sister nicely.

"Why am I being told this now?"

"We…I just found out. I thought, it was just me. I had to be sure." DD blinked. "Maybe with the three of us we can stop it." she smiled at her sister.

"I don't….I can't…"

CC places the old article gently making sure not to wad it up, in her pocket. She took a deep breath. "Just think about it sis." Noel said.

"We need your help with this." Pleaded DD. "That's an understatement," she whispered to her brother when CC had her back turned. "She's the key. If we do this…."

"We will make a fortune." Her brother quietly said back.

Niles didn't mean too, not this time. He was looking for a bathroom. He saw a door that was cracked so he stood by it listening. He heard every word of her conversation with her bother and sister. _A curse what kind of cruse. And who has it? Are we in for a real haunted house, a scary weekend? What did Max do to us this time?_

CC steps out of the door and finds Niles. She looks at him.

"Sorry," he stepped back from her. "I was looking for a bathroom."

He seems genuine enough um…. what other motive could he have, unless he was spying on me.

"You can't just wander around…" CC stated.

"It's not safe." DD added.

"Like you do at home."

"Where it is safe." Noel just had to say. He was trying to convince both of them that it wasn't as safe as they thought.

"Anyway," she glared at her brother and sister who got the message and left. She stared at him, then chuckles at what she did see.

"You're not going to need that bathroom now." _What?_ He thought. _What is she talking_ _about?_ Then it hit him, he felt hot wet liquid run down his leg. His face turned red. "Got to go." He started running down the hall.

"You sure did." CC laughed. A door slammed. _That made my day. Oh it was…just like they say…priceless._ She laughed again. _I know I shouldn't make fun…why no? He does it to me all the time._

"CC are you coming?" her brother shouted.

"Wait up." she turned the corner expecting to see her sister and brother. But, she saw no one. "Hello…hello…." _Where did they all go_? She slowly now feeling really alone, walked down the hall. She stopped when she came across a portrait a really large one at that. It was of a wedding picture. "This is my grandmother's Destiny's picture of her wedding." She said out loud.

"Exactly my dear." Came a voice, CC whirled around saw nothing but a painting of a woman in a bridal gown.

"What?" She walked slowly up to the painting, like the women in the painting was going to reach out and grab her. "1902," she read in the description "The wedding that was meant to be."

"Wow, it's my grandmother's wedding pic."

"That is correct." CC blinked. Did the painting just talk to her? She wondered.

It's all in my head. It's all in my head.

Never before had she felt so much terror, not even when awaking in the grip of a nightmare suddenly hand grasped her from behind relentless and powerful.

She turned, "a…a…ghost." A figure in a long whit silk dress reached out for her. "CC…CC…"


	5. Chapter 5

CC ran to her room and slammed the door._ Just my imagination at work, pictures can't talk. _ CC thought about what her siblings had said. She still wasn't convinced that there were any curses that could make people unhappy. I'm one of those people who is just destined to be unhappy but to have a curse? I'm not quite buying it. I'm just unlucky and there is nothing I can do about it. I lost the most important thing in my life, which was my son but that had nothing to do with a silly curse.

She reaches in her pocket her breathing started going faster as the paper started becoming warm to the touch. She pulls it out quickly laying it on the bed. Is this a good idea? I…I want to know what it says. I don't have to believe it. She picks it up and opens it. Highlighted for her more likely by her sister, were the words, pictures talking; things moved big things; voices at night, not just ours, cold winds not by open windows.

"I never…." She just did…. she thought, the painting it…. "I don't…I don't believe."

"Do you now?"

"What?" she looks up. A small ghost with an armor man, both were standing there.

"Ah….." she screams, runs out of the room and races back downstairs. Not once looking back. She sees the picture of the wedding this time the lady was frowning with a blood-covered dress. "No…." She races to Max and all. She breathed deeply at the edge of the den.

Niles is on one couch and the kids on the other one. Max and Fran are curled up on the floor right in front of the fire.

"We have to leave right now! Get up." She yells.

"But we were enjoying the fire." Fran calls as she looks at CC.

"What is this all about CC?" Max asked all worried.

"Wait you said that we could stay till after Halloween night. You promised us that we could!" B cried. "I told my friends I was staying at what was a real haunted house."

"Well, we can't. We are leaving in a few minutes. So let the fire burn out."

" I'll talk to her sir," Niles tried.

"No, I will, she hates you and would do just the opposite of what you wanted her to do." Max gets up and takes CC out into the hall. He tries to convince her to stay a few more days. She told Max what her siblings told her and what she experienced. She could tell that he was not all convinced.

"I know what I saw Max."

"Calm down, calm down."

"How can you say that? It was real."

"We will go check it out." All of them went to see this so call picture talk. They all stare at the picture. This time it was how it originally was. A woman, dress in a white wedding dress smiling. Nothing. Not a peep. Fran smiled at the picture. "She's…. beautiful. She reminds me of…." She raised her eyebrows. "You. She looks a lot like you." Fran was staring right at CC.

"That's my grandmother." CC stated.

"Well, she could be your sister. You guys look that much alike."

"What about the armor?" CC questioned trying to change the subject.

"Let's go see that too if it eases your mind." Max said thinking that all of this was ridiculous. _He doesn't believe me. He thinks I made the whole thing up. But I know I wasn't. _CC looked around.

"There was knight in armor standing right here yesterday…" CC explained. "Remember my brother was making fun of it."

"I…I….." Max staggered. "CC's right. It was right here. We all saw it. Someone," _her brother most likely. _He said under his breath "Moved it to scare us." _He's doing a good job of it too. _

"I told you." CC shot at him.

"Our man of iron seems to have awaken from a few centuries old and walked away." Niles laughed. Niles looked up and saw the iron man right behind CC. "He's right behind you." CC jumped and turned around. There was nothing there.

"Niles, that was mean." Max shot at him angrily.

"I didn't…" Niles started. He knew what he saw. He might be cruel to her at times but this was different.

Fran came up and slapped him, "That was mean," She whispered, "But did you see the look on her face."

"Someone just moved him." B. swallowed. "Right dad?"

"Right, that's all it was. Someone just moved it." Max commented ignoring his butler. He would deal with him later.

"Who would have moved that heavy thing? And why?" CC questioned them watching a close eye on Niles. _Maybe Niles did it. He has it in for me. I'm sure it was him but my siblings want me to sell so…_

"Probably you sister or brother, they want to scare you." Fran said.

"Yeah, that's got to be it." CC responded but she knew her brother and sister better then that. _They wouldn't do that to me would they? Um…._ Though, muffled the noise was unmistakable, it was the blast of a gun and it came from somewhere on one of the upper floors. It was doubly frightening in that it was clearly inside the house.

"Wha?" everyone said. Everyone raced up the last few steps. CC saw…something.

Hesitated only a moment, her heart thudding. He was proof that someone was with them.

Brightness revealed what she had half-expected, though the shock was no less great on the account. She forced herself to advance shifting a scream as she glimpsed a spreading red stain, which, seeped from beneath the figure making an ever-larger puddle on the highly polished floor. A pond examination, it turned out to be DD's limo driver. _The one that she told me about. The one that she was starting to date. What was with that? Is this house really cursed?_ CC thought to herself. _But the ghost wouldn't have known that right. If that was the case then we are all in for it._ Fran swallowed. Max just stood there with his mouth wide open.

"Now do you believe me?"

"If we don't get out of here we are going to be like him." Screamed Fran.

"Let's get out of here." Max yelled as he ran for the stairs. "I've seen to much. We are leaving. We don't have just ghost, we have a ghost that murders."

"Don't stop." Fran called to the kids when they reached the front floor. More gunshots rang out. _To close for comfort, _Max thought. They bust through the doors. Two sharply figures come after Max, Fran and the kids.


	6. Chapter 6

"Whoa!" Max said as they reached the limo.

"Steady now," he could see in an instant that Fran was distressed and by reaction immediately put his arms around her. Her whole body was shaking and he had to hold her firmly to stop her from collapsing to the ground. "Calm down, calm down." Like holograms they faded and reappeared and she could see straight through them. "Go, go away." Then the darkness was what was left. Max breathed in deeply but it was still full of fear. Fran could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice.

"Where's Niles?" B asked looking around.

"What? He's not behind you?" Max questioned. Fran breathed out deeply her voice shaken.

"He must still be back there."

"With Ms. Babcock no doubt," B commented. He was a little happy if that was the case.

"What? CC's not here either?" Max just shook his head. What was going to happen to the two of them over at that house, no one knew.

"We can't just leave them." Max shouted stepping towards the house. Everyone jumped in the car. There was no way they were going back in that house.

"I just…" a cold wind gusted by making Max get in the car. "We can't just leave them here. They kill each other."

"Um…Dad…We have a problem." B replied. The sound in his voice told his dad that he had something bad to say.

"What's the bad news?"

"The door won't open." Fran cried trying her doorknob.

"What do you mean not open?"

"Dad they're jammed or something," B commented.

"Mine won't open either." Maggie stated.

"I'm scared." Gracie added.

"Don't be honey," Fran held the kids tight.

"We have it all under control." She looked at Max.

"Yes, sweetheart we do." Max knew this was a lie though they had to get those doors open and help their friends. "Don't worry now."

"But I." Gracie started.

Fran turned around and looked in Gracie's direction. "Honey we are going to be fine."

"That's what they said in Friday the 13th that things would be alright and they ended up all dead." B just had to say. He was turning into Niles everyday. Gracie watched her brother.

"Brighton that was mean." Fran yelled. _He needs to stop hanging around Niles so much. It's rubbing off on him. _Gracie looked out the window and pointed at the lake.

"But daddy we are by a lake…."

"Gracie there are no such ghost out there," _Just people to scare us. _

Outside the limo the ghost man on a horse stopped at the window.

"Go and never return." _I don't believe in ghost. I don't believe in ghost. _Max's mind told him. All of a sudden, a dent hit the top of the limo.

"What, was that?" B questioned as he cuddle with his sisters in the back.

"Nothing." Bang, bang. Another hit after and another.

"What do they want?" Maggie cried. A long sword went right through the roof, pinning part of Fran's shirt down to the floor.

"Ah…" she struggled to release the material but it ripped.

"That's going to cost you." Fran yelled.

"Now Ms. Fine." Another stab of a smaller sword came through the side of the car.

"Let's got out of here." Yelled B.

"Max drive." Fran shouted at him.

"I…." A third sword entered the limo. Max scooted closer to the driver's side window just before the sword went through part of the driver's side seat. He swallowed. He felt like his heart was coming out of his chest. His breath was now in small puffs. _Calm there's no such things… _a tap on the window made Max yelped as he jumped two feet in the air almost hitting his head on the roof. His breath came out in one whoosh… as he saw a woman standing in the fog with a flashlight. He rolled down the window thinking that it was just CC.

"CC?"

"Go while you can…" begged the ghost.

"I… can't…." she dropped the keys in his lap.

"Now go while you still have the chance."

"I can't leave my friends."

"There's no one here. Now leave," With that the woman was gone.

"Wha?" Fran shook her head. Max swallowed.

"Where's Niles or CC then?"

"I…I don't want to know." Gracie cried. "I just want to go home where it is safe."

"Let's just get out of here dad." Maggie complained. "I told you we should have gone to Gregg's." a ghost with a mallet hit the front of the limo.

"Now dad." B leaned forward, still shaking. "Hit the gas." And that exactly what Max did. The tires screeched and dirt went flying.

"Don't come back." Hollered the ghost. It took them no time to get down Elm Street.

Max slowed the limo down. They all looked behind them, nothing, nothing but fog. An owl hooted and everyone jumped. Max started off again. He didn't stop till he found a restaurant opened.

"In here…" All filed into the diner. Max plopped down in a booth. Fran sat next to him. While the three kids, took the one across from him.

"That was hell of a ride."

"Mr. Sheffield." Fran yelled at him like he does so many times to her.

"Sorry…I…"

"Just got scared to death." Maggie called.

"Yeah… something like that."

"Now that's a Halloween story I can tell when I get back to class." B commented.

"Why?" Maggie slapped her brother.

"No one's going to believe you anyway." Gracie started.

"Fighting again. That's good. That's normal." A waitress walked up.

"What can I get you at this hour? And don't make it coffee cause it looks like you are…"

"Had to much." Fran said to her. Fran laughed. "No, we will have one root beer, one sprite, one coke, no make that two, and a tea."

"Very well," Max Fran and the kids drank their drinks. They tried to relax but Max thought about Niles and CC. _Were they really dead? Na they are fighters they would give it all they had. DD's car was not there either. Let's just hope… _Fran saw that spaced out look on his face.

_What he thinking over there?_ She thought. _Niles and CC are safe. They are probably waiting for us at the mansion._


	7. Chapter 7

CC ran around the backside of the house. For once Niles had acted on impulse, casting aside his own fears. He ran after CC. He was right behind her every step of the way. He didn't have the heart to leave her alone not like this. In one sense that was comforting regardless of what anyone might think. He had been more concerned for her then he was about his boss. How long she might be left alone there, there was no way of guessing but it was probably only a temporary respite, until they decided what to do with her.

Out of breath she slowed down to stop. "I don't…" She looked at him then down.

"Look Niles tracks." He stopped next to her and looked where she was looking. He cracked up laughing.

"Those are our footprints." He smiles; he knew that all of this was frightening to her.

"Oh," she managed, feeling shaken, _of course they were who else's would they be? What was she thinking? _

This whole thing was getting to her. Where was her bother and sister? They promised to be there. Still there was something different about these footprints. She noticed more there are more then 2 sets. She forced herself to point out knowing she sounded foolish. "Those prints are awful big to be yours."

He followed her gaze. He sent her a devilish grin. "Then who, that of Bigfoot?" He chuckled. "I'll go the guy thing and complete the bogeyman check like I did with all of the kids." He laughed again. She shook it off.

"You promised to get me some firewood for fire." Her mood was lighter now.

"Wait a minute Max…" She glared a hurtful look at him. She sure knew how to make him feel bad.

"You witch," He saw her smile at him. "You sure know work a man."

"Servant really," he shook his head. _At last she's getting back to being normal._

CC felt that shaky sensation that had played her since well every time she was around him. She was breathless and her heart skipped some beats. She looked around Niles was not behind her anymore. She saw a barn. _Maybe he just went in there._

CC thought she would be safe following him in there. She opened the door to the barn and a massive amount of owls fluttered out. She let out a shriek as she fell to the ground. "Stupid owls." She cursed shaking her hands at them as she got to her feet.

"CC…CC." a voice called.

"Stop playing jokes guys, I know its you." she spun around, nothing. "I told you." CC saw from the corner of her eye a couple of cat size rats raced out of the barn as well. She jumped back almost losing her balance again.. "Ahhhh…." she screamed.

"You destiny waits you." Came a voice. Was this really the end?

"What?" something grabbed her by her armpits and took off flying. "Put me down." CC yelled angrily.

"Come CC your destiny." They flew across the yard to the backdoor of the house. "GO…" the door opened and CC was pushed in. "Your destiny awaits you." Her shoes clicked on the hardwood floor, which made, the door slam shut. She spun towards the door. "Very funny." She called.

There was no sound of them, no sound of any short in the house-only silence. A silence so all-encompassing that it seemed almost eerie. A half bark, half howl, strangely dog-like yet certainly made by no dog was heard coming from the darkness. CC had never heard that kind of sound before. What was it? A coyote? Wolf what? Anything was possible out here.

Steadied herself, she tried to listen for the sound of the creature or what ever it was, but once again there was nothing, only the darkness and the eerie silence. She couldn't

tell if that was a good sign or a bad one. Was someone hiding waiting in the shadows of the night for her? Was the ghost really gone? _What ghost._ She swallowed. _Ghosts don't have footsteps. Do they? Heck no. It could be Fran, Max, or one of the kids. Or even the sneaky butler of his._ _Wait why would he follow me then hide like that. It has to be him doing all this. He always wants to get back at me. But would he go this far? _

She was sure that her fears must have been due to an over-active imagination.

It started out was cheerful and comfortable with the four of them together. Okay all seven of them. Now that they were separated, the prospect of being alone in a strange room in a large castle like mansion lurched an unpleasantly at the edge of her mind. She saw a figure with eyes so bright. She chocked back a scream that welled up in her throat.

A ghost swoops a sharp gust of wind at CC, who bumps into Niles. "Whoa steady now." He wraps his hands around her so she doesn't fall. Or knock him over. She pushes against him hard. "Get your hands off of me!" she yells angrily as she pushes hard against his chest with her hands. She leans to far back almost losing her balance again.

"I see you can't stand up straight. Have you had to much to drink already?"

"Niles…" He stands her straight. Leaving her there, he starts to walk to the door to leave.

"Well what are you waiting on? Butler boy open the door."

"I can't get it opened."


	8. Chapter 8

"What do you mean can't get it open?" She questioned then swallowed. Was she stuck with him? _This can't be happening not to me. _She thought_, not with him. _

"Just that." She pushes him,

"You are something else you know it." She pushes him again. "Move over."

"I…" he moves out of her way.

"Let me try that." She pulls on it and pulls little too hard landing into Niles' arms again. _Was this meant to be? You in my arms like this. Oh how I wish… _Niles hopes this is the way the curse held the two of them together.

"Let go," he heard.

"Fine." He steps aside and she falls to the floor with a loud thud.

"Why did you let me fall?"

"You are the one that told me to get my hands off of you. I was just doing what you said to do." Niles, feeling guilty about what he did, helps her up. She starts to run down the hall. "Why didn't you leave when you had the chance to? Why did you follow me back in the house?" Niles followed her till the door was slammed in his face. "Because…" when he got no response he yelled at her. "Fine!" He stomps up the stairs in the foyer. "Great now I stuck here with her and she hates it and…." He swallows, "me." He goes into his room and slams the door. "Not this time. I'm leaving." He throws his suitcase on the bed. It bounces open. "Why would I think it would be any different." He packs some things.

"Why didn't I leave when I had the chance too like everyone else did?"

"Cause you love her. Deep down in your heart you know that is true." Came a soft voice from the hallway. Niles entered the hallway but saw nothing.

"Who's there?" He asked feeling foolish. He walked down the hall. He saw a portrait of a maid, Niles thought, cause she was dressed in a white uniform in the kitchen cleaning.

"Cause I'm trapped." It seemed to respond.

"I know that that panting on the wall didn't just talk to me. It's like this house wants me to stay with her."

"It does." Said the voice.

"Who?"

"The house wants the curse to end but only CC can make that happen." another picture on the same wall said. This picture was of a woman in her wedding dress frowning.

"Why would a bride be frowning on her wedding day?"

"That was the last day I was free." CC screamed Niles' name. His love and compassion won over his anger at her and he raced down the stairs taking them two by two.

He went down the hallway backwards to make sure the ghost from upstairs wasn't following him. He saw her standing in the middle of the room. He wrapped his arms around her. "Ahh….." she screamed. She spun around fast and pushed him thinking that the ghost had her. She stared to tumble backwards. He reached out to grab her before she fell again.

"Just me."

"I told you to let go of me." came a voice and with that he did. She lost her footing again but this time she backed into the bed.

"Niles how dare you!" she glared at him.

"What? You told me to let go of you right then. So I did."

"I did no such thing." He could see that her eyes were getting watery. He held out his hand to her but she ignored him.

"I thought you told me to let go of you. I heard a female voice say it." _Didn't she just tell me to let go of her? What is going on in here? _

CC stared at him for a minute. _Is he hearing things? I never told him to let go of me. Well, not this time I didn't. What is going on? Is that ghost talking to us?_

"Maybe it was that ghost voice I heard earlier upstairs." _What? So he has heard something._ _But why? Why are we hearing things? Maybe this place is really haunted._ He wasn't sure how she was taking all of this. He tried one more time with the offer of his hands. This time she took his hand. He helped her up.

"I didn't mean…."

"Don't…" she sniffed. "Worry," sniff and breathed in short fast breaths. "About it." He wrapped his arms around her once again. This time she didn't yell. No one did. Instead she pressed her head into his shoulder and started to cry.

"We will get though this together." He swallowed, "Somehow. I promise." A promise he didn't think he could keep but he was sure going to try.

It was strange wanting to comfort her. His closeness seemed to ease her nerves. _Why?_ She thought to herself. He could tell what they'd just witness together had gotten to her. Her face told him everything that even witches get scared too. Without a word, he picked her up, as if she weighed no more then a small child. He knew that she would never go into one of the rooms by herself after what she just saw but she needed to rest and he was going to make sure that she got it. He walked her to her room and laid her on the bed.

The gold silk of her hair caught on his fingers as he cupped the back of her head. The damage she could do to his control was more than he wanted to risk. Loving CC and wanted to be with her wasn't going to change; his heart and soul weren't made that way.

He put an arm around her and stroked her hair. "I'm sure it'll be better tomorrow." What was he having feelings for her? It was more then just wanting to get her away from Maxwell, to stop her obsession. Was he actually falling in love with her? He continued to hold her, murmuring how sweet she was, how perfect this moment was.

She was afraid to move; to speak, afraid to break the magical spell that bonded them together. She stopped and looked up at him. She glared into his eyes for what seemed to be a long moment.

DD taught her to search a person's expression especially the eyes. She said that that's where everything lies in the depths of the eyes. For the eyes never lied. They told the whole story. One's eyes couldn't be changed like a smile and one's own body langue.

The eyes told the secrets one kept. CC looked deep into Nile's eyes. _What secrets are you keeping, Niles? I know that you have some. We all do. I know that I do. How am I going to….to tell anyone. _CC knew that what was going on between them was different then what she felt before. She started to remember the kiss they shared a few moments ago.

_Friends didn't kiss the way we kissed. Sparks fly when we are in each other's arms. Both of them felt this. I know you did. My body responds with his every touch, my kiss… I match his every kiss with my own. Why? _

He watched her trying to find out what she was thinking. If she had been any other woman they'd have slept together by now. But she was different to him. He didn't exactly know why but he didn't want this to be one of his one-night stands. He wanted this to be special. He felt some other connection. What he didn't quite know just yet.

Maybe this was the one woman…he destiny…He blinked.

"We will explore what's going to between us," he said, "but not now for tonight I want to get some rest."

"What?" CC questioned shaking her head. His fingertips were gentle as he pressed here eyes lids closed as soon as the darkness seeped in sleep began to claim her. Her breathing be came rhythmic and he could tell that she was sleeping just how he wanted her to be.

Breathing heavily Niles walked down the hall towards his room. He didn't want to leave her alone but if he didn't get out of there he would have done something that he might regret or maybe not he thought to himself as images of the two of them flooded his mind. He smiled an evil grin. He shook his head. I wanted tonight to be the night….but it was not the right time. I don't want to do her when she's like this. I want it to be special but when will that be?

"Don't ever give up on her. You will know the time. Your heart will tell you."

"Wha?" Niles looked round all he saw was picture.


	9. Chapter 9

Something awakened her. She lay tense with terror. Her eyes were wide, and a scream clogged in here throat, but no sound came out. Moonlight entered at the window giving a half-light, throwing other parts of the room into deeper shadows. Something crouched amid the shadows appearing to hover a ghostly, which moved towards her.

"Get back…" CC yelled. "Get back." She waved her hands around.

"No harm CC, just checking." CC places the covers over her head. "Go away. Go away."

She didn't even flinch when he opened the door and walked in. He saw that she was all curled in the bed with her back facing him. I don't have the nerve to wake her. But he was too late. He didn't have too. She turned at the sound of his voice or a voice, she wasn't sure. She turned her head towards him. He was about to leave the room.

"Yes, Niles." He quickly faced her.

"I just came to check on you. How are you feeling?" He slid a chair up to her bed. The chair scarps across the floor, which made her teeth cringe.

"Sorry." She smiles some.

"I'm better?"

"Why did you leave me here all alone?" she turned her head from his.

"I…." Niles was about to get up when she looked back at him. Her eyes had tears streaming from them. "Don't cry." He reached for her hand but she pulled it back. "You…. needed sleep. What you went though was terrifying."

"Terrifying? What are you talking about?"

"The ghost…in the portrait." Now she remembered. She reached up her arms grabbed his neck and pulled him closer to her. She clung onto him never wanted to let go of him.

"I guess I shouldn't have told you."

"I'm glade." She sniffed. "I'm glade you did."

"Then why are you strangling me?" She loosened her grip a little. Now he was able to breathe again. "Thanks." Came out hoarse. He rubbed his neck. _Wow, she has a grip._

Held he out his hand.

"Come on I'll show you there's nothing in this house that can hurt you." he said, leaning as he came toward her once more. She took the risk why not what else did she have to lose? Tugging her towards the darken hallway of second floor excited him. Something forbidden, well he thought so. He wondered how many times he's been alone with her, easily thousands. Maybe even tens of thousands. Why was this time any different?

Maybe cause there would be no distractions, no one to 'break' then up if things got out of hand. She could feel the skin of his palm quiver and sense that lighting fast rush of blood racing through him as well as hear the shallowness of his breath. Swallowing hard knowing he was feeling the same thing she was wondering what on earth was going to happen next.

A picture hung on the wall, "her grand daughter is beautiful too."

"Say that again and again and I might believe you," CC said with a sigh.

"You don't believe it?" he looked over at her. She had this weird look like she didn't believe in herself at all. A frown lined her face. He knew that she had been hurt before but how much, what happened to her?

"You should believe me by now," he forcefully said. _Yeah I believe you, like I believe in this curse._ She said to herself. "Cause it's the truth." She still didn't speak to him. She just walked a little to the side. So he continued. "Who hurt you? Who did this to you?"

"No one did a number on me?" she looked at him and started to walk forward. "I'm just tired, stressed out that's all."

"That's not what I meant, not today. I mean… who hurt you enough to make you run away from guys."

"I don't run away. I'm just….." she started to have a flash back of a secret she was keeping from everyone. "What's it any of your business anyway." She started to yell at him.

"Something happened to you. Didn't it? Why wont you tell me?"

"Cause I don't wanta. Now drop it." He understood the look in her eyes.

"I understand. I'll be leaving." He said disappointed. He starting going the opposite direction then CC. He didn't want to argue with her. He wanted to remember what just happen as something happy well to him it was.

"I don't…" he turned to face her again. "Want to be alone."

Lighting crashed. "Ah," He grabbed her just in time. As she trip on the lose board near the edge of the stairs. He tried to steady her. She snuggled closer to him and his body hardened. Holding her was big mistake. He drew a deep breath, which was another mistake because she smelled like a garden of flowers. The hell of it was that she hadn't done a thing to detect his reaction to her.

The warmth of her breath on his throat and the slight shift of her thighs were playing the devil with his restraint. Wishing that he had put on a shirt and pair of jeans like he did for the construction site pictures that they shot with Maggie's boyfriend. CC pressed her hands up against his chest then thought about the time that he wore a tight shirt. CC started to remember how good he looked in it.

She wanted to tell him that day but never had the courage too. The same thing happened today. She didn't have any courage to tell him how she felt. He sighed and leaned down to kiss her forehead yet somehow it was her lips he caught beneath his lips. He found himself deepening the kiss searching for the sweetness he knew lay below the unhappiness. After a stunned second, CC's arms moved around his waist and neck.

He thrust his tongue deep inside her mouth, forgetting everything that just happened but the exploding heat, low in his gut. She'd never felt anything like the heat streaming through her blood, the tingles sparking deep in her core. The tense and grabbing sensation in her lower abdomen almost hurt. She had never felt this kind of feeling with any other man. Why this one? She wondered.

She felt so empty and so needy she knew that this man could fill her up with what she needed most of all. Softly he breathed as if talking to himself, "I've never felt anything so dammed soft." Sliding her tongue across his lips inside, delving into him like there was no one better in the world. With out warning he pulled away leaving the coolness of loss like a slap of cold water in her face.

"This isn't going to work." She stared at him looking downwards. She ran her hands across his pants.

"Seems to be working fine."

"Not that part," he started blushing again. _Oh that felt so good. Focus Niles, focus._ He shook his head of all the thoughts he wanted to do to her. "It wouldn't be fair," Even though he wouldn't mind. He wouldn't mind it one bit. "Not to either one of us to do this now…." a heartbeat passed, a long painful heartbeat.


	10. Chapter 10

That intent look was in his eyes again but this one had something added, something was different, there was the heart of desire in it- she always recognized that- but there was something else as well. Something, almost terrifying. Nobody needed to know her heart was breaking. They could see it written all over her. Her heart was crying most of all but she shook her head. The man she loved was as close as the sun's warmth and more distant then the stars of the sky.

He held her by the hand.

"I just….. Think we better…"

_Yes, Niles say what I'm thinking._

"Continue to find a way out of here." They walked on.

"Fine!" She let go of his hand. "This way." She pointed down the hall. "We turn to the left at the first corner. Silence came between them. Niles felt someone or something was watching them. It's nothing. He kept telling himself but something was watching something evil.

Thump. Thump. Both turned around, nothing. A hand touched CC. she jumped, in front of them was a hooded man with an old sharply bladed ax. Coming towards them swinging the ax.

"Now what?" CC swallowed.

"Run!" Niles shouted at her. A ghost grabbed CC and one grabbed Niles, pulling them in opposite sides of the hall into secret passageways just in time a sward came smashing down. Both of them could hear the creaking of the floor as it went down the hall.

CC tried to struggled. "CC calm down. CC calm down." When that didn't seem to work. "I'll make you a deal. You calm down and I'll let you go." She stopped struggling and stood there. The hand now released her mouth. "Don't move." CC's breathing was heavy. "I want you to listen to me. Don't turn around; don't say a word, just listen to what I have to say." CC was now getting real worried. What just happened to the both of them? Where were they? She then realized that Niles wasn't with her.

"Where's Niles?" she barely got out.

"He's safe. We had to get you two out of the way."

"What?" she took a deep breath. "Why? Who?"

"We had to get you safe from…."

"From what?" she blinked wanting to know what was behind her. She started to slowly turn.

"Remember don't scream?"

"Why?"

"Cause I'm…." CC turned around to see a ghost and down she went. The ghost held her in its arms. She laid CC down in one of the bedrooms.

"Now what? How do I wake her?" The ghost shook her head. "I'm not used to this."

Niles landed hard on the ground just across the hall from where CC was from the strong grip that grabbed him.

"Sorry." Came a voice.

"Who?" Niles responded looking around trying to focus. He didn't see anyone.

"Under you." Niles rolled over and got to his feet. He just stood there looking in disbelieve. He looked down at this so called person.

"Don't scream mr…."

"I….I…." Niles' breathing went slightly faster. "You tried to save us."

The ghost man smiled up at Niles.

"Yes,"

"Why? I thought ghost….."

"Not all. The one that was behind you…" the ghost didn't get to explain to Niles why both of them where even in the house before panic was in Niles' voice.

"Where's CC?"

"Oh it's CC now?"

"Where is she?" he swallowed.

"Calm down she's with my wife."

Niles was still fanatic looking all about. _Where am I?_ He thought to himself, _this looks familiar but then again different._ "She's fine." The ghost Jay, continued, "As I was saying, the ghost behind you was trying to….."

"Make me one of you." Niles commented.

"Sort of speak. Yeah." Niles swallowed and started pacing the floor.

"How do we…"

"Only CC can stop her now. But she better hurry, we don't know how long we can hold her, that is the other ghost off."

"How does CC stop it?" Niles questioned still not believing the ghost was talking to him.

"Only she knows. We can't tell her. She had to find out on her own. Stay here. I'll go see how she is doing for you." Niles didn't like that; he wanted to go with him. He wanted to find CC. He had to; he promised her that they would find away out together.

Across the hall CC is sleeping when she feels a cold wind for the second time. CC shivers. "CC wake up my child." Her grandmother's voice could be heard.

"Grandma," CC said out loud as she let her eyes focused on the room.

"Yes dear, it is me."

"What do you want?" She sat up some. "What do you want with me?"

"I need to tell you about…." CC blinked, What_ can ghost have to tell me?_

The ghost floated closer to her. She was hoping that CC would not scream.

"Alexandra Abby,"

"Who?"

"Your sister."

"Sister?" CC thought for a second, "My sister's name is DD."

"Um…. GG. You know who that is right?"

"My aunt yes,"

"Well, Alexandra also known as 'Ally' was your sister. Your mom, that was before your dad had her. She lived with GG."

"Oh,"

"You sound shocked! No one talked about her to you?"

"No, I was five when they divorced each other."

The ghost swallowed. "So you don't know the rest of the story either then." CC shook here head. This is going to be harder then I thought.

"Your sister she made up stories about…" CC blinked.

"About what?" CC swallowed. "What did she say about me?"

"She….she made up the stories about Stewart abusing you. She saw the opportunity to get rid of us, from loving you." She looked over at CC who looked like she was going to cry her eyes out. "She thought we were filling your head with garbage by loving you." She sighed. "When BB found out about this so called 'abuse' she divorced him."

"But…didn't he have any say?"

"Yes, but when you came home with burses all over you body one day BB thought he beat you up."

"She believed her daughter over her husband." CC straightened up some.

"Yes, she did. She didn't think that Ally would lie like that. Stewart had lied to your mother before so she thought he was now." CC blinked as she listened to Destiny. _Was this all true? Then why tell me now after all these years. _

"Was that why she was so bitter to us all these years?"

"I think so. I can't be sure. We never talked again."

"Tell me one thing…" CC swallowed. With a sigh she continued. "Did….Did he love me…us?"

"Yes, he did. And so did we." Destiny swallowed. "She took out a restraining order on all of us. We never got to see you, short of speak."

"I know," CC let some tears fall. "I missed that." she swallowed. "Then….then you died." She closed her eyes remembering that day. It felt like yesterday to CC. she felt tears pour down her face.

"There, there sweetie let it all out." Destiny tried to hug CC but she got up.

"When Stewart was able to tell the truth, that is when your mother let him see you, she got so mad that she disowned Ally. That's when Ally decided to make up a formula,"

"Formula like…voodoo?"

"Something like that….a…how to say…maybe a magic curse."

"And you believed it?"

"She just wanted you to suffer."

"But why? Why target me?"

"Jealousy, I guess. You were the first born so maybe that was some of it. I guess she felt abandon and she wanted you too as well. "

"She didn't even know me." CC thought for a minute. "I remember my mom and dad saying that no one would ever love her. I thought…." CC swallowed. "I thought they were talking about me."

"No they were talking about Ally."

"What ever happened to her?"

"She passed to this side about five years ago."

_She's the one that's trying to hurt me even now._ CC thought to herself. _But, why? I have to find out_. _Wait is that why me, and my sister have not been able to keep a guy around? or why my brother will not date? _

"I never got to know her, I would have like to you know…to understand why she felt this way." CC smiled. "She is….well was my sister after all." Destiny's mind: _Golly she does have a heart to have said that. Not many people would have._ _She wants to forgive her sister too._

"There's still time."

"What?" CC stared over at Destiny. "Trust in what I say. You have to break the chain of this house."

"The curse, it can be reversed."

"How." CC jumped up. "How, how." She shouted excitedly.

"Marry your true love. The one that your heart seeks."

"How will I know that person?"

CC looked around. "Hello, hello." She called out. Clinking of knifes could be heard in the hall. Two ghosts fought, pushing each other around. "No,…." CC screamed, why she didn't know. Ghosts are all ready dead. A big glob of slime fell from the ceiling it oozed down her face. "Ah…." She slid her hand down here face. She could fell the itchy substance in her hands. When she looked down at here palms, they were red colored. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted once again.


	11. Chapter 11

Niles looked around the room. "This room looks familiar… like the one place I really like in this big house. The study. But the study…it's missing something. Niles raised an eyebrow. Or is something added? Niles started to walk some. His shoes made no creaks.

"It has carpet. Wait I didn't see any carpeted rooms in this house but this one is." He wanted to make sure that he wasn't just thinking he say the carpet so he bent down and felt the carpet under his fingers. "Nice and plush." He shook his head. "I could have sworn it was hardwood flooring out there before. What is really going on?"

"CC will know just believe in her." Came a voice out of the blue again.

"Who?" Niles felt something pulling at his pant leg. A small really small no more then a couple of years old was at his feet.

"Believe in CC." It held out its hand. "Come I'll take you to her." Niles stared at the ghost for a second. He turned to face the doorway, which he came in backwards though.

I was told not to move but what if this ghost knows where CC is. I can't just wit around all day I have to find her and get out of here.

"Sure." He smiled at the ghost, "Why not." he walked off from the spot he was supposed to stay at.

CC leaned against the wall momentarily closing her eyes, trying to catch her breath, trying to figure out what just happened. She jerked her eyes open at the sensation she was falling, as though the wall was giving way behind her. Startled she caught herself staring in disbelief another secret door, this time no one was around. She looked down both sides of the hallway no one. She sighed. "Still alone I see." She stepped through the door. A patterned paper covered the walls making the door untraceable when it shut behind her. The room was a library-study of some short. It smelled musty and dark. But CC didn't seem to mind that. She looked in aw at all the books. The shelving unit ran from the ceiling to the floor. "Wow now that's a book collection. Why so many? I never knew grandma collected them." There was even a ladder extending to the top shelves that ran along side all the books for easy accessing.

She saw one that caught her eye, a book that stood out from all the others. Its spine was in prefect condition. _There's a book that was never touched._ CC thought. "I…" she reached for it. She pulled on the book but it seemed to be stuck on the shelve. She was determined to get it down. It doesn't belong among old books. She staggered back almost losing her balance once again. "I have to sop doing that or I'm going to hurt myself." The book she wanted flew off the shelve and hit her in the shoulder only barley missing her head.

"Ah.." the book landed to a chapter, chapter thirteen at that. "I finally found my lover." She read out loud. "Odd title for a chapter," CC bent down to retrieve the book. She closed it to read the title. 'The case of haunted mansion.' "By who?" she looked at the title in disbelieve. By Destiny Kay and Jay.

"A house just like this one," she thought out loud. "That's grandma. She never told me they wrote a book." Opening it, she read some. It was their lives after she got separated from her granddaughters and grandson. It went on till his death. "That's where it ends? I wish she had continued it. I guess when you lover is gone you don't want to write any more." A tear slid down her cheek. "That was so sweet though. She found her true love after all. I wish…. It will never happen for me. It's just…."

Destiny and Jay bumped into each other out in the hall.

"I got worried." Jay called looking around expecting to see CC. "Where's CC? I thought you were with her."

"She fainted again. I told her that I would look for Niles. I thought it would be the best time. I'm not good when people faint. I…" she looked about. "Where's Niles, you were suppose to be with him."

"Oh no, come on." They race to see if Niles has moved or not. "His gone."

"Wha? Niles wouldn't just walk off like that."

"ha. Ha. Ha." Came a voice. "no he wouldn't have. I had to make him."

"CC," they both questioned as they rush to find her. When they get there to the bed CC is missing.

"She's gone is well."

"Yes, I… let's just say she's somewhere. By the best…ha…ha…ha…"

"We have been tricked."

There was cry, a shouting in a voice only she would recognize. A voice she couldn't mistake. The voice belonged to Niles. Somehow he was back, coming to her rescue like so many times before. But where was he? It sounded like he was behind the wall. She went to the wallpapered wall she came through and groped along the wall.

"There has to be…" she laughed at the thought. "A secret door somewhere in the wall." She shook her head. "How…how do you find a hidden door? Only if I had hours and hours to make a detailed search, which I don't. How?…." she realized it had been foolish not to follow the others. She thought it was easier to split up. _Why didn't I listen to Fran and follow them? Now look where I'm? _Then she thought about Niles. _He put his life in danger too. But it was all his fault for following me for …for caring…_

The answer came with frightening suddenness.

"Because I care," came a voice again. It sounded like it was on the other side of the wall where she was.

"Wha?"

"I do care." He yelled. She recognized his voice.

"Niles I'm here." She yelled. "I'm here." Niles was on the backside of the wall that CC was yelling at. He looked around confused.

"But I don't see you." He found himself saying. Just then CC heard sounds of a struggle stuff being knocked over.

"Niles. Niles…" nothing but the footsteps and then the sound of something being dragged off. "No…" she screamed.


	12. Chapter 12

Niles' hands were roped and tied behind his back. He struggled to get free but without any luck. _This is where I wish I had Fran with her high heels_. The superstition about breaking mirrors because of bad luck meant nothing to him here. He had to get free and find CC. He just had too. _Wait a minute have too?_ He thought, _I don't have to do anything. But she's depending on me just as much as I would depend on her. _

"How am I going to get out of these things?" he said out loud. He noticed there was a creak in the closet door. He scooted his chair cross the floor towards the opened door. "Now if I can just." With his foot he pushed the door the rest of the way opened. He saw just the item that he could use. A ball. "That just might come in handy, if I kick it at mirror the glass should shatter. Well let's hope that's what happens."

He stretched his foot over the ball and slid it out of the closet. "Step one done. Step two on the way." He got the ball in poison right in front of the mirror. "I have to break the mirror. Ready. Fire." He kicked the ball at the floor length mirror, the one that once scared CC. The first shot did nothing. "Damn." He screamed, "This has to work." the ball did bounce back to him though. "Got to do better then that this time." He took a deep breath. "Here goes."

The second shot made a long crack down the length on the mirror. "But I need a break. I need a shatter." The third time was the charm. Shards and slivers of the mirror fell off. Glass cluttered the floor. "Bingo, I have to find the biggest piece one that has a razor sharp edge." He looked around the room. He didn't see any on the floor but he spotted one still attached to the mirror. "I know what I have to do." he backed his chair around so he was up against the mirror. "Here goes." He put the glass between his hands, "now for the hard part." He managed to keep his hands still long enough to bring the rope against the glass. Several times were necessary for the rope to break. He felt the warm wet blood flowing in a gush then a pop and his hands were free. One deep slash required his attention. "I have to find something for it."

He wiped his hand across and down his shirt. He franticly opened dresser drawers till he found one with liens in it. They were more for a table setting but his wrist was hurting so bad he didn't care. He put the cloth in his mouth and was able to wrap it around his hand. He swallowed. The pain just got worse for him. he squeezed his yes shut.

He started to remember the time before when he had so much pain. The day…a tear slipped down from his eye remembering CC and how she looked. "I have to find her." He made his was down into the cellar well somewhat more for storage then a cellar he thought. Piles of wood lined one wall. Wine bottles lined another. Farther down he saw rows of shelves stacked from the ceiling to the floor. "Wow, at least they tried to be organized. What was on the other wall is what disturbed him the most. There were wooden. Niles almost choked "coffins…" he swallowed. _A vampire is going to come out of one of those, right?_ Niles joked to himself. But that didn't reassure him. He found his way back to some of the same rooms. I'm getting all turned around in this house. I've been going in circles it seems like.

_They dragged him off because? i…… what do they want? _

"Look inside me and that's all you need to know." Her heart told her. I…who…

"your heart, look inside, deep inside." CC was scared. What was happening here? Something was going on. She came to a door, a familiar door at that. _Now I have to remember this is where that mirror was. I can't let it scare me again._ She enter she saw no mirror only frame and on that frame….. "Ah….." she raced to it. Blood stained piece of glass was hanging on its last life. "No…." she screamed. She spun around; a couple of pieces of ropes lay in the chair, along with shirt, a bloody shirt.

"No…." she placed the shirt in her hands and held it up to her face. She swallowed. _What did they do to you poor Niles? Niles you can't be…… _Her eyes followed one tiny blood drop then another and another. She followed them, which led her to the door. _He left me a trail._ When she opened the door she heard some faint music playing. She followed the music deep into a crypt.

Tools lined the cabinets against the wall. Sheers, knives and hammers for what CC thought. She walked farther on. With every step she took the air got colder and colder. Is this where? There was a dip down in the floor. CC looked around. Chains lined the walls now. Her heart tightened in her chest. Was Niles down here? She could hear movement of some short. "Niles," she whispered. "Stop playing jokes on me!" but she got no response. "Ah…." She screamed when she saw a skeleton chained to the wall. A mumbling sound could be heard. "Niles, Niles." she ran towards the sounds. She saw him tied up in coffin. He was lying so still she thought he was dead. She swallowed. Several strands of cord were wrapped about his wrist and she slipped those off of him first. Then she freed his ankles. "Niles, I'm…." she could hear him mumbling. It took a lot of working to get free of the ropes around his mouth.

When she took the rag out of his mouth, he coughed and coughed. Bugs started pouring out of his mouth. She screamed and ran out of the crept without looking back at him. She ran down a hallway to a room, where the door automatically slammed shut. Her breathing was getting shorter and shorter. Panic, was now setting in. "I have to get out of here. But how." Tears flowed down her face. She couldn't believe that Niles was dead. "I have to continue out of this horror house. I knew that we shouldn't have come here. We should have run like Maxwell and Nanny Fine. Why didn't we? Now I'm all alone again." She breathed in deeply. "I have to be strong. I have to get out of here. I have to do it for Niles." Tears once again flooded her eyes. "I…I…" CC calmed herself down again and focused on the task at hand. CC noticed that something had eaten a pretty good size hole in the floorboard of one of the walls. She was glad that it was the one near the hallway. CC dug at the rat hole in the wall when it was big enough, she squeezed through it. "I have to…I have to…I have made it out of here."

Then Niles saw it. Chains attached to the bed with arms. He saw some blond hair sticking out of the sheets. Blood soaked where a head would have been. "No…can't be…" Niles raced over there then stopped. Frozen in his tracks he stood there. All shorts of thoughts came to mind. His heart was pounding to hard for him to do anything. He reached for the sheet. _What am I going to see?_ Niles questioned himself. He took a few seconds to recover. "I…" he took one step forward. "I have to know." He swallowed. "It's…it's the only way to know." He carefully took the very edge of the sheet and lifted.

To his shock it was…


	13. Chapter 13

…it was a mannequin. Nothing more then a full body mannequin dressed in her cloths. He thought about her with no cloths on and what he would do it he saw her like that. _Was this to scare me CC?_ He asked himself as he threw the sheets back over the mannequin. He looked around the room for any other clues that would help him. He noticed a tiny crawl space in the floorboard that went all the way though to the hallway. "She couldn't have gotten though that, could she? If so… Way to go." He scratched his head. "If that was the case… then the mannequin was a diversion for the ghost. "Smart thinking girl." That just made him more determined to find her. He opened the door. "If she went out the hole it should b right here." He saw a painting hanging up in the hallway.

"Now, that's a wedding dress."

"Thank you, but that's not the treasure." Niles was shaking when he heard the painting talk but wanted too know more.

"There's a treasure? What treasure?"

"All haunted houses have a treasure."

"Where is this so called treasure?"

"I…I don't know. You guys have to fine it." the eyes on the painting moved when it talked but the lips didn't. "That's the one thing you guys are here for." The painting turned blank. Blank white. _A painting can't just come unpainted can it?_ He said to himself. Niles shook his head. Niles started to walk down the hall but stops when something catches his eye. Something shiny.

"A gold box?" Niles questioned. I didn't. The ghost slashed the floor for me. He bends down to get a closer look. Sure enough his eyes weren't deceiving him. A golden box shined partway through the floorboard. He pried open the rest of that board. I'll have to replace that for her. "It's beautiful…so detailed." Ornate monkeys carved on the top, on the sides other animals of cats, dogs, and what looked to be birds all the way around the sides. Niles read the description. 'For lovers only.'

"'For lovers only' what dos that mean? Oh well." He opened the box. 'Here comes the bride.' Started to play. Now I see what that meant. Two rings. "What are they for?" He read the inscriptions on the rings. _Your destiny_

"What does that mean, 'your destiny?' Who's mine? "

"They are just like ours." Came a male voice this time. "See ours."

"See ours." Niles shook his head. Then he remembered the painting of the woman in the wedding dress. He walked back to the picture to look at it one more time.

He stood in aw as the picture was repainted right in font of his eyes. This time the descriptions said 'Destiny at last.'

"Destiny was my lover, the one I had an affair with." The painting talked to Niles, as the photo of a man was painted in the background behind the lady sitting in the chair in her wedding dress. She was smiling this time, holding a baby in her arms. "This is Barbara Bell ." It said. The baby turned its head and was now smiling back at Niles.

"Place the ring on your finger and you too will have your destiny."

Of course Niles was curious about what the painting meant that he would have his destiny so he placed the ring on his finger. It fit him but as he walked towards the other ring. It got tighter. "Help. It wont come off." He shook his hand about. CC heard his cry but didn't believe that he was still alive. It can't be.." but she heard him yell again.

CC turns the corner and stops. She had a terrified look on her face. One that Niles has never seen before. She started to shake some. She took a deep breath. She thinks that she is seeing things. She blinked a few times to make sure that what she was seeing was real. The images of Niles looking at a box didn't go away. It can't be.. I saw…I saw…him die. Right in front of my face.

"Niles," she tried to speak but it came back as a whisper. He just stared at her. He was glade to see her, but when she looked like she did to him, he didn't want to scare her even more by running up to her. He wanted her to make the next move at her own pace.

He learned from experience she would take off and that would chaos. Things could be worse for both of them. She swallowed and tired again.

"What?" he tried to play all innocent. "Is something wrong?"

"I…I…" She slowly stepped forward. "Are you?"

"Yes, I'm…"

"Niles," she ran up to him. "I don't know…" she sniffed. "What's real or not anymore."

He pulls her into him and wraps his arms around her. She was shaking really bad now. He stroked her hair.

"I just…" she sniffed looking up at him. "How can I…."

He places his hands on the back of her neck. "Need proof."

He simply used his lips on hers and when she relaxed into his hiss he deepened it, she was happily enjoying the simple kiss before she made a startling discovery. Something was happening to her. It felt as if mini-fireworks were going off behind her eyes and in other parts of her body. Maybe it had been so long time okay, it had been ages for her but she only remembered once being kissed like this but that was over 27 years ago. She was about 10. It was at a birthday party that's all she can remember. When he finally broke away she realized she'd just had the perfect kiss not to long, not to short, not to wet, not to dry but just absolutely perfect she blinked hazily at him and licked her lips. They still tingled.

"Why did you have to go and do that?"

"Honestly? I wanted to for years, I wanted it to be just perfect. Was it?"

She smiled and he knew he had pleased her. Self satisfied expression.

He knew she could rest easy now. She had her proof. His finger was throbbing now.

"Ow…"

"What…what?" she thought something was really wrong with him. Something serious.

He held his hand up to show her the ring. "What won't come off."

"You tried it on…" she took his hand to examine the ring better. "Dummy why did you do that for? Why try them on it's not like you would ever be wearing one." CC giggled.

"The picture it…"

"What told you too…" CC rolled her eyes.

"Yes," she shook her head. Sometimes I wonder. "I…I also wanted to see what it felt like married to a beautiful woman. You know I've always wanted to be." He smiled up at her. She swallowed. _He couldn't mean me? But what if…_then she remembered what the first voice said to her. 'Your destiny awaits.' Was this her destiny? She shook the thought. He leaned forward towards her. _Now I know what my destiny is_. Niles thought to himself.

She pushed him back some. "You married. Ha. I give anything to see that."

She saw the change on his face to saddened look. _What did I just do to him? I'm cursed. I… _ "Wow. Now that's a ring." She held up a big diamond ring. It sparkled just like it had been made right then and there. "It's beautiful Niles. Let me try…"

"No, that's what happened to me?" but it was too late. She placed the ring on.

"It fits. It fits." She sounded excited. The music in the box quit neither one noticed, as both of them felt strangely attracted to one another. A cold wind swooped down on them knocking them flat against the floor. The ring tightened around her finger. "Now look what you did." The ghost Destiny came up to them.

"Good I found you guys."

"What?" both of them said.

"I have something to show…listen to."

"Listen to. Listen to what?" CC got up to follow Destiny but Niles didn't. He didn't want to trust anything in this house.

"Niles," she yelled. He looked over at CC then at the ghost.

"I…."

"It's ok," CC looked back at the ghost then at him. "This is grandma short of speak." She laughed. He swallowed. Was this for real? Could this be…. "The lady in the portrait right?"

"Yes, son I'm." she reached out. "Destiny Kay." He slowly got up. "Come." She took them both by the hand. They were led to a room. Destiny nodded at the tape player on the dresser.

"You want me to play the tape. Is that it?" The ghost nodded again. CC picked up the tape and sat by Niles on the bed. "Here goes," she pushed the play button. The words, 'no one's going to love you." played. CC started to shake some. She was all too familiar with the words. They were repeated in her head every time that she went on a date. But to hear her mother say them again shook her to her core. "That's," she sniffed. Tears welded up in her eyes again. "That's my mother's voice."

Destiny came closer to a now crying CC. Niles placed his arms around her.

Accepting the comfort she gulped gasps of sorrow and pain that seemed to have been inside forever were flowing free. She wiped her cheeks and he kissed where she had just removed the tears she lifter her face to look in his eyes. He felt her pain. He didn't know how she did it. How could someone live like that knowing that their own mother said those words to her? And at five years old.

"Yes, and no."

"What?" CC shook her head. "How can it be both?"

"Listen again, this time closer my dear." CC rewound the tape and pushed the play button. "I don't…"

"shh…" Niles put finger up to here lips. "Play it one more time." When she hesitated, Niles took the thing from her and listens to it close to his ear. "Hear that?"

"It's my mother saying she doesn't love me." she sniffed. "How could I forget those words?"

"No,"

"No!" she stared t him. "What do you mean no?"

"The pauses Babs, between the words. 'no one and love you' that's "

CC played the tape one more time. This time she heard the pauses in the words.

"There's a hesitation pause." Now CC felt worse then better. After all these years thinking her mother didn't love her. "So she recorded this tape for what?"

"No, Ally did. She wanted to..."

"What hurt me?" CC questioned looking at Destiny.

"To get back at your mother."

"Why use it on me?"

"To make you afraid."

"Of what?" CC thought for a second. "Oh love." She answered her own question.

"woo.." Niles waved his hands up in the air. They both looked at him. "Who's Ally?"


	14. Chapter 14

"My other sister." CC turned to face him. She wanted to see his expression was he just as shocked as she was?

"Other sister? I thought."

"Long story Niles I tell you later." 'Tell you later'. He like that idea, what else was she going to tell him?

"So why did she do it grandma? Was this also part of her plan?"

"I suspect that she wanted you to suffer like she did." Destiny said in trying to explain. "She played the tape over and over and over."

"She wanted me to believe it?"

"She wanted you to believe that no one would ever love you. That BB, Stewart even your sister and brother didn't love you."

"Why would she do that?"

"CC my dear you have to ask her that. I don't have the answer."

The ghost Destiny Kay Niles and CC talked a little bit longer.

"And remember follow me," she winked. "Now get some sleep we will carry this tomorrow." Niles walked CC to her room then stopped. He didn't have the heart to tell him. He sat on her bed. She didn't seem at all nervous.

"Tell me about yourself. What was your childhood really like? What about your parents what where they like?"

"Lonely. The usual-boarding school, lessons, lessons,"

"What kind?"

"Riding, tennis, piano, ballet and anything else she could get me into she wanted me to stay busy. She wanted to have everything every advantage wanted me to be like her."

"A social queen?" Niles questioned looking at her.

"What?"

"A snob."

"No, no." CC thought about it. _That's what I am? Isn't it?_ CC blinked, "Don't start feeling sorry for me. It's not poor little rich girl to whine, even though she went to the best school, had play dates in the Hampton. Had…" She shook her head. "I'm not the poor little rich girl."

"I didn't mean…" CC turned her head from him and stood up. She walked over to the mirror. "I know its…." She sighed. "You never told me why you came back to me?"

"What?" he stood up.

"Why did you come back for me?" she lowered her head.

"I wasn't going to be the one to abandoned you like so many people in your life had or so I sensed they have. I kept thinking about what might happen to you. Max and Fran have each other but you." he sighed. "But you have no one to look out for you." he waited for her to say she could do it all on her own but she surprised him.

"You came back to help me?"

"I knew I couldn't just run and leave you all alone. I mean I know we hate each other guts but like that saying goes keep you friends close but your enemies closer." He chuckled at that one. She just shook her head as she walked off towards the bed.

"No, wait. I…." He walked back to the bed. She was sitting with her head down. "How could I not stay? I heard and saw what you did."

"It was nothing." CC looked up. "It's…just me."

"And me." he said. "If it was, then I didn't have to protect you after all."

"Protect me?"

"Yeah," he swallowed, he was going to let her know how he felt. "How could I not?" Gratitude flashed in her eyes that made him smile. Despite the irony she wasn't joking when she 'my hero'. Before he thought it all the way though, she kissed him, pushing him back on the bed.

"Am I?" he chuckled. "Who else?" He placed his arms around her neck and leaned up into her. His lips meet hers. A surge of heat raced through him. It was like touching an electric fence. Only there was no pain, something he hadn't felt lately, in all the women he dated. She tried to pull back but his grip on her shoulders was to firm. His face was close and his lips slid onto hers again, rocking the foundations of both of them. How could this feel so right to them when they knew it was so wrong to do?

Or was it? How could something like this be wrong if it felt so right? She didn't protest couldn't as he kissed her, gently increasing the sweet pressure of his mouth until his tongue was probing delicately at her now closed lips. Niles groaned seep in his throat. His tongue surged forward in a mating quest as his hands slid down her back and pressed her body against him. She shifted in the bed. His eyebrows went up. "That's more like it."

"Niles,"

"What?":

"I don't…."

"Why?" when she didn't respond he continued. "You don't think that I can love you is that it?"

"That's not why?" she pushed him slightly getting up. She went over to the mirror and looked in it. she didn't even recognize herself.

"Then, why?" he had a confused look on his face. "What did we do that was so…so I don't know wrong?"

"I just…" she stood there staring at him through the mirror. _What could have gotten her so worked up, I thought she, we were doing great. What stopped her? He thought about all the possibilities. Oh she thinks this is all out of us being scared not just…._

"It has to go with the situation we went though…I mean…" she started to explain.

"Why?" Then he kissed her lips gently comfortably. "Because," She tried to explain it to him. But…he brought his mouth down on to hers, the solid, satisfying slide of his lips to her lips. His tongue pressed at her mouth making hers open to met his tongue wither hers. She touched his face with her fingers slowly scratching him with her fingernails he reach for her hand he wrapped he arms around hers. "Niles." she whispered more out of breath then anything else.

"Yes," he said in a husky voice that sent shivers down her back.

"Go away." A ghost passes over again. She started waving her hands around. _What? I know that I didn't hear her correctly. She didn't just tell me to leave. There is no way._

"wha?"

"Go away. Go away."

"Fine," he got up. "If that's the way you want it." Niles raced out the room.

"Wait Niles, I didn't…." Too late the door slammed shut. "Mean you." She lowered her head. _What is happening in this house?_ _How could I…._ I guess I just can't…is it a curse? I want to feel…


	15. Chapter 15

"Loved…"

"Who?" She looked up. She saw her grandmother Destiny, in the room with her. "I…"

"You have a man that loves you. But you wont give it a chance …I mean him…"

"I didn't mean to. That ghost…" she waved here hands about.

"I mean all the time not just now. You have to give him a chance…to be something special. I know it could be. I once thought I had it…."

"Had what? And what happened?"

"I…I mean my parents didn't want me to follow him. They said that he wasn't good enough for me. So they had someone take care of the situation."

"Take care of," CC swallowed. "The problem,"

"Yes, that's right." She sighed remembering the man that she loves so dearly. "I never saw him again. Well not in the flesh that was."

"Was he murdered?" CC swallowed.

"No, I was forbidden to see him though."

"You see him now?"

"Yes," CC looked confused.

"How?"

"We are no more. We are together now but we missed out on a lot. Don't let it happen to you. Remember today is the day."

CC didn't know what she was feeling. Was her grandmother right? Was this why she was unable to break the chain? Is that why she ran all the time because of a curse or she would have to lower her standards, she couldn't tell. Or is was from maybe fear that her so called society friends wouldn't have anything to do with her or was it because she thought she was not good enough. Or maybe it was a fear that she was actually finding the one thing that she had been searching for all her life. Is that why we fit together so well I mean in everything he knows everything well almost about me and he's still here. He didn't abandon me when I needed someone the most. Maybe why she couldn't get closer fear of losing another good thing.

She didn't know on the other side of the closed door, she just broke Niles' heart again. "Why dos she do that to me.? I….."

"She doesn't mean too." Came a voice. "It's the curse…."

"I…. just…want her…" he didn't get to finish his sentence before the voice continued. "Yes, I know."

"How could you know?"

"I just do." _Wait a minute; I know I need sleep if I'm talking to a ghost._

He turned around nothing, nothing anywhere. He shook his head. He wiped his tears from his yes and went down the hall. _Why did I have to be such a gentleman? Why can't I be like any other man? Because, I'm not like all the others I……_

"You love her like I did my lover…"

"What?" he walked around some. Another portrait this time of a male person talked.

_Oh no not another ghost._ He walked closer to take a look. It was the man that he was with earlier.

"You love her like I did my lover…" he repeated. Niles swallowed was he in love with CC? He didn't know, he just knew that he wasn't the same with her.

"But she keeps me at arms length."

"Then get closer. Let her know how you feel. Tell her what's in your heart before…"

"Before what?"

"Before it is to late." The photo tuned back to the lady in the wedding dress. Niles shook his head. That was weird. How? Oh never mind. He opened his door and lay on his bed. "Remember today is the day."


	16. Chapter 16

"Loved…"

"Who?" She looked up. She saw her grandmother Destiny, in the room with her. "I…"

"You have a man that loves you. But you wont give it a chance …I mean him…"

"I didn't mean to. That ghost…" she waved here hands about.

"I mean all the time not just now. You have to give him a chance…to be something special. I know it could be. I once thought I had it…."

"Had what? And what happened?"

"I…I mean my parents didn't want me to follow him. They said that he wasn't good enough for me. So they had someone take care of the situation."

"Take care of," CC swallowed. "The problem,"

"Yes, that's right." She sighed remembering the man that she loves so dearly. "I never saw him again. Well not in the flesh that was."

"Was he murdered?" CC swallowed.

"No, I was forbidden to see him though."

"You see him now?"

"Yes," CC looked confused.

"How?"

"We are no more. We are together now but we missed out on a lot. Don't let it happen to you. Remember today is the day."

CC didn't know what she was feeling. Was her grandmother right? Was this why she was unable to break the chain? Is that why she ran all the time because of a curse or she would have to lower her standards, she couldn't tell. Or is was from maybe fear that her so called society friends wouldn't have anything to do with her or was it because she thought she was not good enough. Or maybe it was a fear that she was actually finding the one thing that she had been searching for all her life. Is that why we fit together so well I mean in everything he knows everything well almost about me and he's still here. He didn't abandon me when I needed someone the most. Maybe why she couldn't get closer fear of losing another good thing.

She didn't know on the other side of the closed door, she just broke Niles' heart again. "Why dos she do that to me.? I….."

"She doesn't mean too." Came a voice. "It's the curse…."

"I…. just…want her…" he didn't get to finish his sentence before the voice continued. "Yes, I know."

"How could you know?"

"I just do." _Wait a minute; I know I need sleep if I'm talking to a ghost._

He turned around nothing, nothing anywhere. He shook his head. He wiped his tears from his yes and went down the hall. _Why did I have to be such a gentleman? Why can't I be like any other man? Because, I'm not like all the others I……_

"You love her like I did my lover…"

"What?" he walked around some. Another portrait this time of a male person talked.

_Oh no not another ghost._ He walked closer to take a look. It was the man that he was with earlier.

"You love her like I did my lover…" he repeated. Niles swallowed was he in love with CC? He didn't know, he just knew that he wasn't the same with her.

"But she keeps me at arms length."

"Then get closer. Let her know how you feel. Tell her what's in your heart before…"

"Before what?"

"Before it is to late." The photo turned back to the lady in the wedding dress. Niles shook his head. That was weird. How? Oh never mind. He opened his door and lay on his bed. "Remember today is the day."


	17. Chapter 17

She tried to open the ancient doorknob. It just turned without doing anything. She shook the knob and tried again without success. She kicked the heavy door made out of mahogany. Still nothing. She tried everything she could think of to get the knob to catch whatever it was supposed to catch on or release. She sighed. "I guess that I'm stuck in here all alone to die." She sat back down on the bed. She shook her head must be dreaming but it felt so real.

Niles opened the thick heavy door and came into the room. He was carrying a try of food for her. "I thought you might like something to eat after what happened last night with the ghost and everything." He brought the tray and placed it on the end of the bed where she was sitting up. He started to leave when she finally found her voice again.

"Thanks Niles." he nodded then left the room thinking that she might want to be alone for now. "He does understand me. I thought I'd never find someone that could know me so well…" she looked at the door where he had enter her life again. "It's both wonderful and scary at the same time." She should have known him by now too that he would be

listening at the door. He didn't think that she would start talking out loud to herself though. _So she does want me around her. Yes, I know her like the back of my hand. That's the scary part._ "We have to get out of this house. Together."

"This is to awful." her granddad said. "We failed…."

"I know sweetie but we…." Ally swooped in seeing CC in one of the coffins with blood soaked hand and Niles with the bloody shirt, the one that he wore while he cut his hand.

"I have finally won, a victory for me. Now I have two more."

"Now," Destiny whispers in her ears. CC nodded.

Ally starts to leave.

"I…" Ally turns to face CC but doesn't see any ghost. CC clears her voice. "I…I. forgive you cause I love you."

"What?"

"I love you." CC shouted.

"Now let me and my lover." She smiles. "Alone so we can love each other."

"No,"

"I love you, now fly away."

CC breathed. "You visions are powerful but love is greater.

You can't love. But I can." CC reached out for Niles hand, the rings meet and a flash occurred.


	18. Chapter 18

The next thing CC remembered was a warm feeling. Next to her along with strong arms holding her. The moment felt so right, so unrehearsed so real like it was their destiny to be with each other. The embrace was completely unexpected and yet he should have guessed her hands glided, stroking the skin of his neck before he could think better of it, his arms responded, circling her waist his blood quickened as the his palms swept bare back registering the silken texture of heat. Kissing her like a crazed sex deprived man found living on a deserted island.

"I'm sorry. More than I can say. You should have slugged me." he turned his gaze from her in what seemed to be shame.

"Why? You didn't do anything." CC's mind: _Why does he have to get a conscience right now when things were going so well. I knew that it wouldn't last it never does. The curse isn't broken. I'll never…_ he couldn't help him. He let her go twice and he wasn't going to this time. The forces between them were too strong.

His body pressed up against hers as an intense passion took hold of both of them. She never felt so much physical and emotional attraction to any man she dated. She was amazed in these few stolen moments how much desire had awakened in her. She much she had missed out on all these years. Standing and waiting for her to take just giving the right push it took that long. _Was that what the ghost job to push me in this man's arms? Could really be my destiny?_

As his mouth closed over hers again and again all she could think about was what a fool she had been to let time slip away. She returned his kisses with a fervor she'd not known she was able of never wanting the moment to end. Was this what if felt like when you fall in love, she wondered? She believed she was been in love but this time was in a whole new league she believed he loved her back. Was this lover or was it just raw sexual attraction at this particular moment with something that felt so…this good did it matter anyway.

He hadn't kissed her like this. This kiss demanded more. This kiss asked to be kissed in return. This kiss took her breath away literally. Kissing him was like sinking into a warm bath. Warmth all the way down to her toes. Long spent up desire

Swept through her. He deepened the kiss. He actually had his hands on the zipper of his pants undoing it before she grabbed his hands. _Now what?_ Niles thought. _Oh_ he smiled wickedly. _She might want to do this part herself._ She froze right there._ Not on your life CC. I'm not letting you get off_ so_ easy this time. _

"Don't you feel be watched now?" CC questioned. _That's an odd thing to ask._ Niles thought. _Why would she ask that? I thought the ghost was gone. Here we go again_. He sighed.

"Well, if we are let's give them a show." He kissed her on the lips. "Let's make them loath what we have together." She glared at him.

"What?" she shook her head.

"Come on, if there are any ghost watching us, we're not going anything centuries old ghost haven't seen or done before."

CC couldn't help but chuckle at that wickedly. "I wouldn't count on that. Most ghost couldn't do what I want to do to you." Then he started blushing. She grabbed him and kissed him hard on the lips. "Come on lover boy we have work to do."

He stepped out of the bedroom early in the morning expecting CC to still be sleeping.

"Good morning." A cheerful voice sang out. Niles stopped cold. CC was in the kitchen barefooted and clad in that same skimpy silk nightshirt that reached no longer than her mid thighs and drifted distractingly around her body.

"How did you sleep, sleepy head?" She asked not seeing to notice his silence and his glare of undressing her with eyes. "I hope the mattress was okay. "I slept…" He finally found his voice.

"Like a baby…" she finished and winked at him, "We both did." Then she glared again into Niles' dark magical eyes. He simply smiled back and with so much love. She knew something truly mysterious had happened between them. Some kind a connection she thought, something strong, something she never felt before. Was it love? She wasn't about to give that up. She walked over to him.

"I guess lost things are always found." She whispered to him, she nestled in his embrace.

"Even our love." Niles smiled. "Especially our love and CC, it's all real love too."

The end


End file.
